The Story That Never Was
by the book loving fangirl
Summary: This is a head cannon on one of my pages on Facebook. It received good reviews so I thought I'd upload it on here. It is a story of what could have happened if Peeta had not been reaped for the hunger games but Katniss was still reaped.
1. Chapter 1

He leads me gently to the meadow. He only stops when we're behind a bush big enough to conceal the both of us. It's by the woods. No one I know dares to go inside. It's dangerous. They contain predators like wild dogs and bears. Maybe even lions and tigers.

He starts to talk to me, and I talk back. It's nothing but small talk though. I don't know how long I've dreamed of him liking me. I wonder what it would feel like if he ever kissed me. This maybe selfish, but it's true. I want Katniss Everdeen to die in those games. I hope the careers kill her. I hope they make it a good kill. Slow and painful. I want her to know how it feels to want something you know you'll never have. I don't care if her family morns her death for months. I don't care about them. I am only thinking of myself. I know though, for her entire time in those games, I will never have him. He will NEVER be mine. What if she doesn't die, what i she becomes the Victor? I try to push it out of my head. I don't want to think of it. I don't want to think of it as a possibility.

"Beatriz?" He asks and I jump back to reality.

"Um...sure, yes" I reply, unsure of what he said.

"You weren't listening were you?

"Of course I was!"

"Ok so what did I say then?

"Well I've forgotten now! You know how short my memory is!"

"I just asked if you wanted to come back to mine? I could steal you some proper bread for you?"

I grin. What really discretely then! Your mum will KILL you. Remember last time?"

"Well I've improved since then! You watch! Besides I need you to watch the tribute parade with me. I can't stand to watch her alone."

Everything comes to mind again. If I were a dog, I would start growling at the mention of her. I'm not though, and I'm his friend. So I nod and get up and then pull him to his feet! Well I would have if he wasn't so heavy! Instead I fell on top of him. I have a sudden urge to kiss him, but that would probably push things in the wrong direction!

We stop when we get to his front door. He turns to me "I'll go inside and ask if it's ok. If it's not run or find some way of getting into my room!" he giggles a little. I see it fade as he closes the door.

He opens the door quickly "Quick, go." He mutters. Then he shuts it. I know he was joking about trying to get into his room, although he'd be thankful if I did. He probably won't be allowed to watch her. It will be nothing but background noise in that house. They'll get away with it because they're part of the Merchant section of district 12. He'll be one of the few people in district 12 who'll actually want to watch the games. I expect his evil mom will have him locked in the kitchen baking bread or frosting cakes. I'll have to watch it with my family later, just encase the peacekeepers decide to do their random search at our house. At least I can make sure he's alright tomorrow, at school.


	2. Chapter 2

He leads me gently to the meadow. He only stops when we're behind a bush big enough to conceal the both of us. It's by the woods. No one I know dares to go inside. It's dangerous. They contain predators like wild dogs and bears. Maybe even lions and tigers.

He starts to talk to me, and I talk back. It's nothing but small talk though. I don't know how long I've dreamed of him liking me. I wonder what it would feel like if he ever kissed me. This maybe selfish, but it's true. I want Katniss Everdeen to die in those games. I hope the careers kill her. I hope they make it a good kill. Slow and painful. I want her to know how it feels to want something you know you'll never have. I don't care if her family morns her death for months. I don't care about them. I am only thinking of myself. I know though, for her entire time in those games, I will never have him. He will NEVER be mine. What if she doesn't die, what i she becomes the Victor? I try to push it out of my head. I don't want to think of it. I don't want to think of it as a possibility.

"Beatriz?" He asks and I jump back to reality.

"Um...sure, yes" I reply, unsure of what he said.

"You weren't listening were you?

"Of course I was!"

"Ok so what did I say then?

"Well I've forgotten now! You know how short my memory is!"

"I just asked if you wanted to come back to mine? I could steal you some proper bread for you?"

I grin. What really discretely then! Your mum will KILL you. Remember last time?"

"Well I've improved since then! You watch! Besides I need you to watch the tribute parade with me. I can't stand to watch her alone."

Everything comes to mind again. If I were a dog, I would start growling at the mention of her. I'm not though, and I'm his friend. So I nod and get up and then pull him to his feet! Well I would have if he wasn't so heavy! Instead I fell on top of him. I have a sudden urge to kiss him, but that would probably push things in the wrong direction!

We stop when we get to his front door. He turns to me "I'll go inside and ask if it's ok. If it's not run or find some way of getting into my room!" he giggles a little. I see it fade as he closes the door.

He opens the door quickly "Quick, go." He mutters. Then he shuts it. I know he was joking about trying to get into his room, although he'd be thankful if I did. He probably won't be allowed to watch her. It will be nothing but background noise in that house. They'll get away with it because they're part of the Merchant section of district 12. He'll be one of the few people in district 12 who'll actually want to watch the games. I expect his evil mom will have him locked in the kitchen baking bread or frosting cakes. I'll have to watch it with my family later, just encase the peacekeepers decide to do their random search at our house. At least I can make sure he's alright tomorrow, at school.


	3. Chapter 3

In class I keep my head down. I pretend to be working hard. I write words down on the paper hurriedly. I do not stop to re-read my work and to make sure it makes sense. I just write. "Beatrice are you ok." The noise startles me. My teacher has bent down so that she when she talked, no one else could hear. I nod. It isn't me that she should be worried about. Where is he? I know he's usually late. I can't help but wonder, what happened last night, after I left? Was he able to watch the games after all? How is he? How does he feel? What does he think about Katniss? I shiver at the thought of her name. The girl I've grown to loathe, because the boy I love, loves her, but she can't see it. Why can't he get over her? Why can't he love me? My teacher has walked away from me. She keeps staring at the door. Perhaps she's worried about him? Perhaps she has her suspicions? Perhaps she's just anticipating his late entry.

I should probably start to work properly so I concentrate on working so I push him out of my head for a while. "Hey Beatrice" he says. I whip my head to where the voice came from. Then around the rest of the room. No one was there. Great, now I'm hearing phantom voices!

I ignore the voices and carry on with my work. I look up for a break of writing notes. He's sitting right in front of me. How did he get there? I feel less worried now. Although now all I want to do is to talk to him. Since I can't do that just yet, I begin to plan all the things we will do when the bell rings. I could take him around the district until we find a hide out. We could go back to my place and drink mint tea whilst watching the games. It's the interviews tonight.

At lunch everyone is talking about Katniss. It's obvious that they want her to win. We NEED her to win. We're all starving. My family have no food. The only thing we eat is the homemade bread, made with the grain from the tesserae my family receives. I am lucky. I only have to get through two more years, and I'm safe. Forever. My children won't of course. They'll still have to face their traumatic first reaping. I'll have to watch, helpless to the Capitol. This thought makes me angry. I feel a soothing hand touch my shoulder. This gesture brings me back to reality.

I still have to wait until the bell. I look around the classroom. He's already gone. Of course, he always does. She was usually pretty speedy too. I catch him at the gate. "Hey" I call. He turns to face me. "Hey". He replies.

"How about a trip around the district? Then we could go back to mine. We could watch the interviews whilst eating the scratchy bread and we could drink mint tea? Good idea?" I ask, a little to eagerly.

"Ok" he replies.


	4. Chapter 4

We walk for ages in silence. I don't know for how long as the only way we can tell the time here in district 12 is by the sun. When we get to our hide out we stop out of habit and sit in our usual seats. Our hide out is a bush big enough to conceal the both of us. We've been friends for as long as I can remember and this has been our hide out and meeting place ever since. We are facing the forest and the electric fence. It's not really pretty, but that's not the reason we come. In the summer it's harder as more people stay close to the edge, conceal themselves by the bush encase trouble arises and they need to get back. It's the end of summer now, so no one's here. He sighs next to me and I left my head rest on his shoulder. I think he thinks I'm his sister or something, but at least I can be close to him. I like it. Hearing the whisper of mis breath on the top of my breath. Feeling his heat beat under mine. We are both relaxed. It's so easy being with him. I wish he'd realise that too.

I'm being shaken. "What?" I question rubbing my eyes.

"We fell asleep. it's almost dark. It'll be starting soon." He replied. He was off in long strides towards my house. I had to run to catch up. "Peeta, wait up. Peeta" I called after him. I hated the way she ruined everything. She did. That was the truth. Without her I'd have Peeta. I'm sure. Well I'm not but I push that side out of my mind. He would I tell myself until I believe it.

He knocked on the door, before I was within ten feet of it. I had to sprint before they closed the door. I did not ant the peace keepers after me.

Inevitably districts 1, 2 and 4 all got between 8 and 10 points. Remarkably she managed to score 11. "How.." I start, and then I realize I'm speaking aloud and peeta's here so I quickly re-start my sentence. "Wow, see I told you she was good, didn't I Peeta. She scored the highest. She'll win, you'll see." I was trying to keep his spirit up. It didn't help. "Either they're really pleased with her, or they're plotting her death." That was all he could say.

He got up hurriedly muttered a thanks and goodbye and let himself out.

I wish I could curl up next to him and comfort him tonight.

In bed, I start to toss and turn. I can't seem to get comfy. After a while, I start to feel restless so I get up, get dressed and then I slip out the front door. I have my schoolbag and lunch tucked under my arm. It' not yet light, and so I have a few hours to kill before school. My eyes start to feel sleepy inside the sockets. I think about going to Peeta's house, or to our hide out. I decide to try Peeta's house first.

I climb or rather pull myself up to his window. I tap lightly, trying only to make nough noise to wake only him. "Peeta" I whisper "open the window!"

Ater what seemed like a lifetime, I opened his window with red sleepy eyes. I pulled myself through the open window, and half through myself onto his bed. He got in carefully and embraced me withhis chin on top of my head.


End file.
